Stories of the rose
by Syrena Aria
Summary: What lies behind the rose? Love? Hate? Death? Guilt? Innocence? Find out. Rating may change. Co-written with TheSongOfLove


**Co-written with TheSongOfLove**

**Disclaimer: Do not own story line or characters.**

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><p><span>Stories of the Rose<span>

_Blue_

The King of Massing was very old. He wanted his daughter, Princess Annabeth to marry so she wouldn't have to run the kingdom on her own. As he presented his decision to Annabeth, she refused and argued that she wanted to take care of him in his weakness.

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><p>"Annabeth, I have made a very large decision," The king announced as the princess entered his study.<p>

"What is it, Papa?" She asked as he stood and she sat down.

As he regained his seat, he cleared his throat and delivered the decision, "Annabeth, I have made a decision for you to marry." He could see her large gray eyes narrow as her hands clenched into fists. "Don't even try and convince me otherwise, child. I have decided and it is final."

"Father! I'm sorry for bursting out at you, but why do I have to be married? I am perfectly capable of ruling this kingdom if anything dreadful happens." She argued.

"Annabeth, my older sister said the same thing. What happened? She became too stressed and needed help so she married and lived a happy life until the day she passed on."

"But she was different than me! She-"the princess started.

"Annabeth Sophia Chase! You are almost exactly like her: proud, smart, and beautiful. She cracked, Annabeth. You might as well crack, too." He gave her a stern look and was now standing up with his hand on the table with his elbows locked. Annabeth glared at him then turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

The king just shook his head in frustration and sighed heavily.

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><p>Later that evening, King Fredrick sent out letters to every family with a son that was age twenty two and older. The letters all had a message that read:<p>

_Attention_

_Princess Annabeth is looking for a husband. You are all invited to the palace tomorrow evening at five of the clock. A ball will be held._

_Massing Palace_

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><p>The next morning, the lady-in-waiting, Thalia Grace, informed Annabeth of the ball as directed by the King. Annabeth sighed and sat down on the perch in front of the vanity.<p>

"Oh Thalia, I don't even know what to look for in a husband…" Princess Annabeth started.

"Well, I'm no expert on this, but maybe someone who is made for you?"

"Well, how would I know if he's made for me?"

"True… Hmm I'm not sure. I'm not that much of an expert on boys sense I don't know many."

"Well, can you help me lace up? I'm going down to the garden for a stroll," the Princess said with a mysterious look in her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." Thalia sought to lacing up and tying her corset. "Princess?" She asked as she was adjusting the final parts of the torture device that women wore every day.

"Yes?"

"Do you think that, well maybe, I can go to the ball?"

Annabeth turned to look her in the eyes. "Of course you can! I don't want to suffer alone! And maybe, you might find that special someone?" She said jokingly.

"Well, maybe I will. But what's important is that _you _find that special someone."

"Yes…." Annabeth got up and went over to her closet. She chose a deep red gown that was floor length, three-quarter sleeves with no lace, and it ballooned at the waist. Her shoes were a light gold with two inch heels. "How does this look?"

"You look beautiful as always. Um this sounds bad, but before you go, can I borrow a dress? For the ball?" She asked looking at the ground. This was definitely strange for Thalia. Something must be going on.

"Sure. When are you planning on picking one out?" Annabeth asked.

"When do you have time?"

"I'll help you when I come back from the gardens, okay?"

"Okay! Thank you so much, Princess!" With that, she exited the door.

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><p>Princess Annabeth made her way around the small pond behind the palace. She was actually subtly looking for someone. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she finds him. Percy Jackson, her protector and childhood friend is walking towards the stables. She picks up her pace, ignoring the little way women and girls are supposed to walk; short and slow. Instead, she took long steps at a faster pace.<p>

"Percy!" She called out to him. He stopped and whipped around.

"Princess! Annabeth, how are you?" He asked with a grin on his face.

"I'm fine, thank you. What about you?" She openly let the bright smile shine to him.

"I'm good. I just have to do some work in the stables."

"I actually need to talk to you…" She said while glancing a bit down.

"Well you are now so what do you need to say?"

"Well, it's about the ball tonight…" She starts biting her lip while she waits for his response.

"What about it?"

"Well, are you coming?"

"Don't I kind of have to?" Her face twisted up in confusion. Percy started chuckling and sat down on a tree stump.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm your _protector_. I have to be there so you don't get hurt," He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world.

"Oh, I understand. Also, I don't know how I'll know my husband when I dance with him. I need another way, too."

"Well, what do you like?" He asked her.

"I do love flowers- especially roses," Annabeth said. A small smile was on her lips when she thought of the roses she had stopped to smell earlier today.

"And what's a rare rose?"

"Blue roses are rare," She informed him.

He nodded. "Okay, so say whoever brings you a blue rose will be your husband, then."

She gasped at the idea. "Thank you, Percy!" She threw her arms around him and gave him a hug. He hugged her back as he did many times before. They had grown up together. He was the only one that knew some of her worst secrets and fears. Minutes later, she let go and backed up considering he stood up before she hugged him expecting her to go and him to work in the stables.

He smiled down at her five-eleven frame. She gazed up at his six-two build and smiled.

"Well, I've got to go help Thalia," She said pointing back to the palace.

"And I've got to feed some hungry horses," He said. They waved and went separate ways.

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><p>Princess Annabeth ran into her father on her way up to her quarters.<p>

"Father, I would like to say that I will marry the man who brings me the blue rose. Is I say he must be handsome, then he might have a cruel heart."

"As you wish, Annabeth Sophia. You should go get ready for tonight." He nodded and walked away. She looked at the grandfather clock and it read _three o'clock_. Annabeth hurried up to her quarters. Thalia was already there waiting for her.

"Took you long enough," Thalia informed her.

"How long was I gone?" Annabeth asked.

"Oh about two, three, maybe four hours. So what were you doing?"

"Well, you will see tonight." She had a mischievous glint in her gray eyes. "Now, let's get you ready first!"

At four of the clock, Thalia looked stunning. Her long, black hair was up in a full bun with a vivid blue ribbon. The dress she was borrowing was floor length, strapless and a corset style on top. From the waist down, the dress expanded with ruffles all the way down. The corset had silver sparkles on the corset. Her shoes were silver and had about four inch heels. She is about five-five normally. She wore some lip stick and silver eye shadow. This was rare and not very many people owned make-up. Thalia's borrowed jewelry consisted of a silver necklace with sapphire gems and a small silver tiara showing that she lived in the royal palace. She wore earrings that her deceased mother gave her that matched the necklace. She wore her mother's wedding ring on her right hand.

Now it was Annabeth's turn. She was dressed in a deep sea green ball gown that was one-shouldered with flowers on the shoulder. It was floor length and had slight ruffles in the bottom after the poof of the dress. Her shoes were a light brown with shorter heels. Annabeth wore some lip stick and light eye shadow. Her curly blonde hair was in a bun with a few pieces of hair curled by the ears that were hanging down. Her jewelry was a gold pendent that showed her royalty, a small gold tiara, and gold earrings.

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><p>Everyone had arrived at five o'clock for dinner. They feasted on wild bores, lamb, wild birds, and deer. All of the men were wearing respectable knickers and a ruffled shirt. The women wore ball gowns and some had gloves.<p>

King Fredrick stood up and struck his glass with his spoon three times. He cleared his throat and began. "Welcome. You are here tonight for a ball and Princess Annabeth's search for a husband. She will marry the man who presents her with a blue rose." Whispers rung through the crowd. Some saying that it would be an easy quest and would marry the Princess and others saying it would be an adventure to hunt down a blue rose.

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><p>One hour later at six o'clock, Princess Annabeth had danced with every man but four.<p>

"Hello, Princess. I am Connor Stoll. Would you like to dance?" Travis asked.

"I would be delighted to." Annabeth took his outstretched hand. They danced for a minute until Annabeth started a conversation. "Travis, what is your job in this land?"

"I am a merchant," He gave a sly smile to her. He pulled out a blue rose. As she took the rose, a drop of blue fell onto her hand. He had asked a flower vender to get him a blue rose for a bad of gold. The vendor gave him a rose dyed blue. He told Travis to keep the rose in a vase with the blue dye until right before he gave it to the princess.

"I cannot marry you. You tried to trick me. I need my husband to true to me," the Princess said.

Next, a handsome warrior cam up to Annabeth and asked her to dance. She accepted and took his hand. Minutes later, he stepped back and presented her with a blue sapphire that had been carved into a rose. He had gone to the next kingdom and demanded the king to give him a blue rose, or he would kill the king and half of his people. The king didn't want harm done and did not want to fight, so he gave the warrior the blue sapphire rose.

She looked into his blue eyes- hard and cold like the rock. "I cannot marry you. I want a real blue rose. Not one carved as a hard and cold stone. Please do not ask to dance with me again, Lucas."

"It's Luke." He turned and stormed away.

The King's youngest adviser, Nicholas di Angelo, also wished to marry the Princess. He commissioned an artist to create a blue bowl. The artist had painted a blue rose on one side of the bowl. The rim of the bowl was colored gold. It was fragile and beautiful. He approached the princess who was talking to Thalia.

"Thalia, all of these men have presented me with ideal blue roses. I need to be presented with one that is living." Annabeth sighed and shook her head.

"C'mon, Princess, here must be one man here who can bring you a living blue rose."

"Hopefully….."

"Princess, would you wish to dance?" Nicholas asked her.

"Of course," said Annabeth as she took his hand. After the first song ended, Nicholas presented her with the bowl. "Oh, Nichol-"

"You can call me Nico, let me rule with you," he said as his cheeks flushed.

"Excuse me, Nico, I cannot marry you. I must have a real rose. The bowl is gorgeous though," Annabeth said giving him a small smile. He nodded and walked away.

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><p>Later that evening, the Princess decided to take a stroll back around the small pond. She left the ball room un-noticed and walked swiftly down the hall to the servants quarters. Annabeth had not seen Percy after her father's announcement of the blue rose.<p>

She read the names on each door until she saw a red-head at one of the doors. Annabeth gasped quietly and crept back around the corner and hid until she could still see the door. The red-head knocked and a man with dark hair opened the door and let her in. Annabeth slowly got back up and tip-toed over to the door. _Perseus Jackson_ was etched into a bronze plate on the wood door.

She raised her arm and knocked on the door. Percy opened the door and found Annabeth before him.

"Princess," he said with a slight nod. He moved aside and let her in. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't see you after the speech so I was wondering where you ran off to."

"I was actually about to leave and go upstairs to the ballroom," Percy said looking her in the eyes.

"Actually, I came to get to get you and ask if you could go with me to walk around the pond and gardens," Annabeth said while looking up at him.

He cracked a smile. "Alright, let us go." He led her through the door and remembered Rachel was still standing behind him. "Rachel, I think it can wait until tomorrow?"

"Correct," said Rachel sharply has she swept past Annabeth and down the hall.

"Shall we go?" Percy asked. She nodded and put her arm through his. They took the shorter way and went out the servants' entrance/exit. Once outside, music slowly faded away as they got closer to the pond. Crickets chirped from behind bushes as frogs croaked. The silence was comfortable until broken.

"So, how is the blue rose quest coming along?" Percy questioned.

Annabeth just sighed. "Men can be filthy liars and tricksters."

"So I'm guessing not well?"

"Correct. Not one man," she replied shaking her head as she look at the earth. "I want to marry a man who has not tried to trick me as Travis was; he cannot be hard and cruel as Luke. My husband cannot seek wealth like Nico. I need someone who will be honest, kind, and will value myself as you have our whole lives." He nodded in understanding.

"I believe we should get back before people start to worry," Percy said while looking at her figure in the darkness. He could tell she was slightly shivering from the autumn wind. "Come closer, Princess," He whispered. She stepped closer to him and he wrapped his long, muscular arms around her.

"T-t-thanks, I n-needed t-that…" Annabeth shivered, but less vigorously. "C-can we go inside now?"

"Certainly." They made their way back up the stone steps and path and towards the servants' entrance. Once inside, the Princess and Protector strolled to the ballroom. Once inside, Percy turned to her. "Care to dance, _Princess_?" He said jokingly.

"Why, of course, _Protector_," she said back to him. They danced until Percy stopped and whispered in her ear '_Meet me in the blue room tomorrow ten minutes before sunset._' Annabeth nodded wondering what he was going to do and continued dancing.

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><p>The next day, the ball was continued until Annabeth found a husband. Just as she agreed to, ten minutes before sunset, she made her way up to the blue room. Inside was Percy sitting on a wooden curlicue bench with a white rose in his hand. He had walked through the ballroom and people were saying that the princess would send him away.<p>

Annabeth walked toward the bench when Percy stood up. He walked in front of the blue stained glass window and held out the white rose. The light made the rose appear blue. It was living, soft, and true. She took the rose. Annabeth looked up at Percy, smiled and nodded.

The couple went back down to the ballroom to find guests murmuring about the white rose. She went up to her father at the head of the room and stood next to him.

"Kingdom, let me tell you what I noticed. I noticed a man who has been truthful to me for as long as I can remember. I noticed a man who had the courage to wait until I knew what was right. I noticed a man who values me for me and not because I am a princess. His proposal with the rose is out of love. Plus, it happens to be blue. I know it is because I am not colorblind."

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><p>King Fredrick had the couple married at once. He had stepped down from the throne and allowed the Prince and Princess to rule the kingdom. They lived happily ever after. Not because it is a fairy tale, but because their relationship was built out of love, trust, commitment, and happiness.<p>

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><p><strong>Okay, so this is based off of the Chinese folk tale 'The Blue Rose'. The website if you want to read the story is <em>http: www. civprod. com /storylady/ stories/ The Blue Rose. htm_ (no spaces)**


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